I'm Dating a Japanese Guy shirt

[ninjakid]

I'm japanese and thinking of giving my girlfriend one of these shirts as valentine gift.

I am dating a Japanese guy!! (white) : Store for a lucky woman dating a Japanese guy!!

what do you guys think? do you think it's funny and good idea?

[MMM]

Sure, if you like your girlfriend advertising racist stereotypes about Japanese people.

[Nyororin]

Wow, how incredibly offensive...

I have nothing to say besides this.

[PockyMePink]

ITT: Butthurt people.

For pete's sake, lighten up guys. Anything comedy-wise that involves the Japanese is going to be stereotypical. Actually, comedy itself is stereotypical, no matter who it involves. It's not meant to be taken so seriously.

Anywho, on topic. I lol'd at the shirt.

[ninjakid]

oh come on guys!! I thought it was very funny even though I am a Japanese I didn't even expect a lot of people take it seriously and think it's so mean. I was kinda surprised. I don't think it meant to be offensive or make fun of Japanese in bad or wrong way, either.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by PockyMePink

ITT: Butthurt people.

For pete's sake, lighten up guys. Anything comedy-wise that involves the Japanese is going to be stereotypical. Actually, comedy itself is stereotypical, no matter who it involves. It's not meant to be taken so seriously.

Anywho, on topic. I lol'd at the shirt.

I had a feeling someone would come up and say "lighten up".

I have no problem with poking fun at stereotypes, but this shirt crosses the line from poking fun to what I consider to be racist.

Let's look at some examples:

9. Concept of the word "the" is beyond his comprehension.

So Japanese people are so stupid, they cannot even understand the concept of "the". Not only is it not funny, but it is degrading the intelligence of an entire race. There is a word for that...

8. Had the innate ability to be a human calculator.

This is a dehumanizing stereotype. Yes, Japan, Korea, Singapore and students in other Asian countries tend to do better in math than those in the US and other Western countries. So instead of that being a call to educational action, we make fun of it.
Notice the use of the word "innate", implying that math skills are not due to good education, but are skills Asians are born with (not true).

5. Slices meat with a katana

That's just stupid. More Americans have held pistols than Japanese have held katanas.

2. Can't say "parallel" to save his life

Like the "the" comment, this is simply degrading the Japanese language because it doesn't have an "r" or "l" sound like the one in English. Like that's Japan's fault. It is such an ethnocentric comment to make (much less put on a t-shirt).

Even though all Japanese study English to some degree in school, many are shy to speak English outloud with any confidence. Part of the reason for that is because of idiotic shirts like this. Japanese people KNOW they have an accent in English, and don't like it being pointed out.

The shirt is racist, idiotic, hurtful and hateful.

If you disagree, ask yourself, would you wear that shirt with pride in Japan?

Originally Posted by ninjakid

oh come on guys!! I thought it was very funny even though I am a Japanese I didn't even expect a lot of people take it seriously and think it's so mean. I was kinda surprised. I don't think it meant to be offensive or make fun of Japanese in bad or wrong way, either.

So would you want your Japanese mother to see your GF wearing that shirt?

Listen, you asked what people think. If you don't want to hear the answers, then don't ask the questions.

[Tsuwabuki]

Stereotypes are stereotypes because in some small way, they can be true. The problem is, several of these 10 ways are not true at all. Raw meat? Sashimi is one thing, but you will never see Japanese people eating raw pork or beef. MMM covered the Katana, but there are more.

Also, hair and body products are on the rise among male American preteens and teens.

[PockyMePink]

Originally Posted by MMM

I had a feeling someone would come up and say "lighten up".

I have no problem with poking fun at stereotypes, but this shirt crosses the line from poking fun to what I consider to be racist.

Right, cause katana's and being super-humanly smart are horribly, racist things. How dare they

Let's look at some examples:

Great. Lets.

9. Concept of the word "the" is beyond his comprehension.

So Japanese people are so stupid, they cannot even understand the concept of "the". Not only is it not funny, but it is degrading the intelligence of an entire race. There is a word for that...

Saying the Japanese speak horrible English isn't racist. Not the funniest thing in the world, but very very far from racist.

8. Had the innate ability to be a human calculator.

This is a dehumanizing stereotype. Yes, Japan, Korea, Singapore and students in other Asian countries tend to do better in math than those in the US and other Western countries. So instead of that being a call to educational action, we make fun of it.
Notice the use of the word "innate", implying that math skills are not due to good education, but are skills Asians are born with (not true).

And thus, it's funny. It's saying it is like they were born super smart. I find it hard to see that as racist, or hell, I don't even see that as offensive! The only negativity found in this example was put in place by you rather than actually being implied by the example.

5. Slices meat with a katana

That's just stupid. More Americans have held pistols than Japanese have held katanas.

OH NOES! THEN IT MUST BE TOTALLY RACIST AND OFFENSIVE!
Japanese + Katana = racist?
As said before, the only negativity here was brought on by you.

2. Can't say "parallel" to save his life

Like the "the" comment, this is simply degrading the Japanese language because it doesn't have an "r" or "l" sound like the one in English. Like that's Japan's fault. It is such an ethnocentric comment to make (much less put on a t-shirt).

Same with the "the" example.

I must ask, if you were to create a list similar to this that wasn't "offensive", what would be on your list?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by PockyMePink

Saying the Japanese speak horrible English isn't racist. Not the funniest thing in the world, but very very far from racist.

The simple word "the" is said to be beyond Japanese comprehension. That isn't the same as saying they speak horrible English. "Very far" from racist? I don't think so.

Originally Posted by PockyMePink

And thus, it's funny. It's saying it is like they were born super smart. I find it hard to see that as racist, or hell, I don't even see that as offensive! The only negativity found in this example was put in place by you rather than actually being implied by the example.

So you think it is funny to compare Asians to computers?

This discredits their education and excuses Westerners lower math scores by dehumanizing Japanese by throwing our hands in the air and saying "They are inhuman! They are computers!" The fact that math skills are higher in Asia compared to the West is not "innate"...it is thanks to good education. But this shirt wants to promote that old stereotype that Asians are born calculators.

Originally Posted by PockyMePink

OH NOES! THEN IT MUST BE TOTALLY RACIST AND OFFENSIVE!
Japanese + Katana = racist?
As said before, the only negativity here was brought on by you.

No, this one is just stupid.

Originally Posted by PockyMePink

Same with the "the" example.

I must ask, if you were to create a list similar to this that wasn't "offensive", what would be on your list?

Anytime you are making a list of stereotypes about your Japanese boyfriend's antics you take the risk of delving into racist stereotypes. Unfortunately more than zero items on this list delve into that area.

[RKitagawa]

I'm gonna have to agree with MMM on this one. I love racism in comedy, I think it's hilarious. Russel Peters is my favorite comedian and all he does is make fun of Asians and Indians. But some of these are just degrading, and really not funny...

I wouldn't get it if I were you.